Sick note fails to save banned Leeds mechanic from jail after he drove Mercedes wrong way on M1

Qualified mechanic Craig Wright had driven off from police when they spotted him in the Woodlesford area behind the wheel of the high-powered black Mercedes CLS 350, which was later found to be on false plates.

The 38-year-old appeared late at Leeds Crown Court this week after initially claiming he was ill and was at his GP surgery to get a sick note to excuse his attendance.

But Judge Simon Phillips KC said if he was well enough to travel to the doctor, he could make it to court. He warned him that a warrant would be put out for his arrest if he did not turn up.

Prosecuting the delayed case, Stephen Littlewood said officers saw the Mercedes around midnight on April 3, and tried to pull it over. Wright put his foot down and tried to get away, reaching eye-watering speeds of 90mph in built-up areas.

He narrowly avoided parked cars, made dangerous reversing manoeuvres, straddled the white lines and even became “airborne” after travelling over a hump-back bridge at speed.

Police dash-cam footage was played to the court, but the police held back when Wright made his way onto the M1 heading north on the southbound carriageway, considering the pursuit to be too dangerous to continue.

The vehicle was later found abandoned on the hard-shoulder but Wright was recognised by officers from the dash-cam footage and later arrested. He gave a no-comment interview.

Wright, of Fifth Avenue, Rothwell, later admitted dangerous driving, driving while banned and having no insurance. He has been convicted five times previously for dangerous driving and received several custodial sentences.

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Mitigating, Rachel Webster said that father-of-six Wright was a full-time carer for his mother, suffers from cellulitis and depression and anxiety.

He claimed he was fixing his friend’s Mercedes and had to drive the car after his friend received a call about his baby falling down the stairs. She said he panicked when he saw the police and was now “remorseful for his actions”.

Judge Phillips told Wright that he could have caused “carnage” had someone been travelling the other way. He said that Wright’s record and persistent driving showed he had an “utter disregard” for court orders and his stints behind bars had been “no deterrent”.

He jailed him for 16 months and gave him a new driving ban of vie years and eight months. He must also take an extended driving test to get his licence back.